Contact apparatus for electric railways.



No. 698,!24. Patented Apr. 22, I902. A. MARKLE. v

CONTACTAPPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

' {Application filed Jan. 19, 1001.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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N0. 698,l24. Patented Apr. 22, I902. I A.- MABKLE. 4

CONTACT APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

I (Application filed Jan. 19, 1901.) (No Model.) I 2 Sheets$heet 2.

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A WWW 5y CM 4./ u- AZi'y ALVAN MARKLE, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTACT APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC FiAlLWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,124, dated April 22, 1902. Application filed January 19, 1901. Serial No. 13,834- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVAN MARKLE, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Hazleton, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in" Contact'Appa ratus for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My-invention relates to the construction of contact devices for electric-railway circuits,

particularly the so-called third-rail-railway systems, the object beingto provide a reliable and effective means for securing a traveling connection between the supply-circuit and the moving vehicles.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a cross-section of a portion of a railway-track and of such'portion of the ear-truck as is necessary for illustrating one application of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Figs. 3, 1, and 5 illustrate modifications and details.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shown a form of contact-shoe and support consisting of a plate 15, of iron or other suitable material, carried at its respective ends by links 16, which in turn are supported by a flexible spring 17, permitting the contact-shoe toyield more or less as it is pressed against the conductor. The contact-shoe and spring are carried upon the arm 17, which is here shown as being pivoted in a bracket'18, the outer end being pressed upward by a counterweight 19. The pressure of the shoe against the conductor may be assisted by a suitable tension-spring, if desired. any suitable portion 21 of the truck-frame. A chain or other convenient connection 22 leads from the contact-supporting arm 17 a to a convenientplace in the cab or car, so that the motorman or other attendant may at will drop the contact-shoe downward against the side of the truck and away from the main conductor. A flexible cable 23 may be employed for securingproper electrical connec tion from the contact-shoe to the controllers and motorsupon the car. This contact device may be employed in connection with various forms of supply-conductors.

In the drawings, 1 represents a track-rail supported upon ties in the usual manner, one of the ties being represented at 2. This tie The bracket 18 is carried upon is shown as elongated sufficiently to support a post 3 at a convenient distance from the rail 1. The post is securely bolted to the tie and may be strengthened by a brace 4. At its upper end there is secured the third rail or contact conductor 5, shown in this instance as being in the form of an angle-iron, one side being securely bolted to the upper end of the post, as shown. Above the angleiron there may be placed a continuous covering-board 6, which is designed to protect the conductor from the weather and also to so guard it that accidental contact therewith is prevented. The abutting ends of different sectionsof conductor may be united by splice-plates 7, fastened by bolts 8. A cap 9 is shown as being placed over the bolts. Any suitable form of electric bond-such, for instance, as a plastic bond 10-may be used for electrically connecting the successive sections of the conductor. I have shown an inclined cover 11 extending along from post to post to more completelyshield the vertical portion of the rail5 in cases where it is desired to more securely guard against accidental contact therewith. By mounting the posts 3 upon the projecting ends of the ties of the road the proper relative position of the conductor 5 from the track is insured, even thoughthe latter may be thrown out of place by settling or by frost. Supply-conductors or feeders 12 12 may be carried by the posts 3,these conductors being insulated from the posts at the points where they pass therethrough- -as, for instance," by suitable thimbles of insulating material 12-and a face-plate or board 13 may cover these conductors. This face-plate may extend from post to post continuously, if desired, thus fairly shielding the conductors. The contact-surface of the conductor 5 is the under side of the horizontalportion of the angle-iron and is therefore shielded from sleet and snow, and thus the chances of interruptions of the electrical contact between the shoe and the conductor in snow and sleet storms are practically removed. If desired, a drip-plate or shield llet'may' extend downward from the inner edge ofthe board 6 to more thoroughly protect the conductor 5.

Instead of mounting the conductor 5 upon the road, as shown, for instance, in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, either between the track-rails or outside. Inthisinstanceatimber24is shown as being laid along the inner edge of one of the rails, and the conductor 5 is supported upon this timber. The contact-lever is carried by a support 18, fastened to a suitable portion of the truck-for instance, the bolster. the top of the angle-iron and leaves the under side of the latter free for contact, as before.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an electric-railway system, a contact device consisting of a contact-shoe, pivoted links at the respective ends of said shoe, and

The protecting-board 6 extends over a flexible spring to the respective ends of which said links are pivoted, substantially as described.

2. A contact-shoe for electric railways, consisting of a contact-plate, a yielding spring, and links connecting the ends of the spring with the contact-plate, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of January, A. D. 1901.

ALVAN MARKLE.

Witn esses:

WM. H. CAPEL, Gnomes H. STOCKBRIDGE. 

